Атлант расправил плечи
The Moratorium on Brains
Theylistened,insilentstupor,toastreamofprofanitysuchastheyhadneverheardfromanysectiongang.
"—andit’snotmyproblemhowyougetthetrainthroughthetunnel,that’sforyoutofigureout!"Chalmersconcluded."Butifyoudon’tgetmeanengineanddon’tstartthattrain,youcankissgood-byetoyourjobs,yourworkpermitsandthiswholegoddamnrailroad!"
ThestationagenthadneverheardofKipChalmersanddidnotknowthenatureofhisposition.Butheknewthatthiswasthedaywhenunknownmeninundefinedpositionsheldunlimitedpower—thepoweroflifeordeath.
"It’snotuptous,Mr.Chalmers,"hesaidpleadingly."Wedon’tissuetheordersouthere.TheordercamefromSilverSprings.SupposeyoutelephoneMr.Mitchumand—"
"Who’sMr.Mitchum?"
"He’sthedivisionsuperintendentatSilverSprings.Supposeyousendhimamessageto—"
"Ishouldbotherwithadivisionsuperintendent!I’llsendamessagetoJimTaggart—that’swhatI’mgoingtodo!"
Beforethestationagenthadtimetorecover,Chalmerswhirledtotheboy,ordering,"You—takethisdownandsenditatonce!"
Itwasamessagewhich,amonthago,thestationagentwouldnothaveacceptedfromanypassenger;therulesforbadeit;buthewasnotcertainaboutanyrulesanylonger:Mr.JamesTaggart,NewYorkCity.
